


The house of lives and losses

by HkVictory



Category: Original Work
Genre: AU, Angst, Demons, Female Lead, Gen, Ghosts, Haunted House, Hurt/Comfort, Magic, Nine Lives, Original work - Freeform, Possession, Siblings, Witch - Freeform, Witches, generational curse, ghost - Freeform, ghost story, haunted forest, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 17:53:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27760312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HkVictory/pseuds/HkVictory
Summary: High in the frosty mountains of New Finland, an area is filled with flickers of white that destroy everything they touch.A family resided here and it was their role to protect the area from its cruel and barbaric inhabitants. This family was blessed with the gift of lives. In birth order they would received nine lives once the elder one had died. With these lives, it was their duty to protect the rest of the world from the dangers within that could bring about the apocalypse if unleashed.There were four Casey siblings, now there is one.Eight deaths away from the end of the world, the burden of protection has fallen on Veronica Casey; but with dwindling resources, creatures that attack her every move, and a dying witch that's just collapsed on her doorstep, failure seems imminent.I'm bad at summaries, please just give it a chance and let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.
Relationships: Original Female Character & Original Female Character, Original Female Character/Original Male Character





	1. White

It was not a coincidence that driving down this mountainous road her car had broken down. She’d had it checked before leaving and it had no flaws in the engine or any other part of its machinery. For it to stop suddenly, spluttering to a halt with a horrible, final bang she knew that something had gone wrong, something short of a natural cause; but she didn’t sit there and ponder it, instead she checked through the compartments and gathered the small amounts of food she had, gotten out of the car, and began the long trek to what she hoped was civilisation. She knew that she was pushing her luck. This road travelled through one of most treacherous pieces of terrain in the country, Covered in deep, thick snow and tall, bristled trees that blocked any view of where you were going. It was a labyrinth of nature and even her connection to the plants and life that grew there was not enough to show her the way out. Her only option was to follow the road. 

Several hours had passed and the scenery was the same, she was beginning to regret not bringing a map with her, but then again, without any roadsigns what would’ve been the point? Contrary to what one might think, a mystical connection to nature of any kind, animals and plants included, was extremely rare. Her whole life she had grown up knowing it was a gift to be cherished and not thought of lightly and with this knowledge she never once felt unsafe in nature except perhaps for the incident. She shuddered to recall it, And her eyes went to scan the trees for fear of seeing long, thin, white limbs but there were none, none of that kind anyway. Instead, the otherwise dark tree line had been broken up by the occasional white flash at the edge of her vision but when she turned to look there was nothing there. It was paranoia beginning to seep in, she knew that, and yet the low unignorable fear was beginning to consume her. Whatever lived in the forest was not a living being, that she was certain of. What it was, in fact, she wasn’t sure and she tried not to dwell on it but it was impossible as a low whisper began to fill the air. She strained her ears to hear what it was saying but whatever it was was in a language she did not understand, that or her Finnish was not quite as fluent as she thought it was. 

The further she walked down the road the more strange energy seem to fill the air. It was magic, that she knew, but of a kind she was unfamiliar with. It was something cold and dark and unnatural and it burnt her to consider it. It reminded her of someone long since past. An ache filled her chest and she stopped walking, clutching her chest with one gloved hand where she knew her heart would be.   
“Concentrate Ira.” she thought to herself “no point to dwelling on it. Just keep breathing and keep walking. You are going to be fine you are not going to-“

Her internal monologue was cut off by a sudden change in scenery. Rather than further road stretching out in front of her something that looked similar to a stone fence was visible. Fencing meant people. People meant shelter. Immediately she began to walk faster, Hand leaving her pocket as she attempted to move as quickly as possible to get away from the endless forest around her. Just as she got close she paused feeling strange energy growing in intensity. 

A strange feeling was washing over her. A peculiar mixture of bone-shaking fear and loving familiarity. Such a juxtaposition and yet it existed and it was influencing her. She felt both compelled to run to the structure in the hope of finding more and yet also to run back to the car and pray that whatever was in the forest would show mercy and allow the car to continue on its way. Like a statue, she stood frozen in the road and as snow began to fall from the sky it collected on her coat and in her hair. The car was at least two hours behind her, to try and walk back, particularly in this incoming blizzard, would be a death sentence. The thought of death sent a queasiness through her stomach and a gentle shaking, not caused by the cold, began to affect her body. The only logical option was to go towards whatever this was and see what she could find whether it be an old shack or a bus stop, while she didn’t know why a bus stop would be in the middle of nowhere, it would be better than nothing. It would be better than simply standing in the cold. Not for the first time in her life she wished she was of fire and not nature. It would be so much easier to simply create a blanket of flames around her; she could keep going for hours and the weather would have no effect on her happiness or safety. 

She had not been so lucky and now was not the time to complain about it. Pushing her concerns to the side she continued forward. As she grew closer she realised with delight that it was more than just a fence in the distance. There was a driveway to the right of the road and a medium-sized wooden house was sat there. It was what she would call ‘American style’, two stories high and had a front porch and stairs that lead up to its door. The wood was dull bluish-green that made it blend into the environment as though it had never been there to begin with. Faintly, she wondered if it was made of the trees surrounding the forest. as she drew closer a flash of movement caught her eye and she glanced at the top window spotting something moving. That should’ve filled her with relief, to know that there was someone there, but instead it filled her with anxiety. She hadn’t considered what she would do if the person was hostile. She was a skilled witch, yes that was true, and there was plenty of nature around her to assist her and even without that, if she really needed to she could— She didn’t finish the thought as the door suddenly opened and a young woman appeared.

If not for her light red turtleneck, she would’ve blended in perfectly into the snowy environment. Her skin was perfectly white and she didn’t mean pale or peach— she meant white, paperwhite, but somehow even paler. It reminded her of— no she wasn’t going to think about him. Long hair fell down the women’s shoulders like icy waves and bounced as she hurried towards her with such an angry look on her face that Ira couldn’t help but take a step back.  
“You can’t be here.” The woman snapped before she even got the chance to greet her, “It’s not safe for you here you need to go.”  
“Nice to meet you too.” The woman’s face darkened and Ira spotted a hint of stress in the scrunch of her eyebrows.   
“This isn’t a joke. You need to-“  
“Something broke my car.”  
Now the worry was clear on the woman’s face.  
“I spent at least two hours walking here, I don’t have much food or water on me and I can’t make the walk back not in this weather.” She hesitated, wondering whether it would be wise to bring up the whispers and flashes of white among the trees.   
“What’s your orientation?”  
Ira faltered, “excuse me, Finnish isn’t my first language did you?”  
“Magic orientation. Skill. Innate etc.”  
“Nature and energy.”  
The woman raised an eye sceptically,  
“You can’t power the car?”  
“Not that kind of energy and besides I’m-“  
She broke off, staring frozen at something that had appeared behind the woman. 

Barely visible, glowing a pale shade of blue and hovering just above the ground was Shou Casey. Dead, apparently.  
Shou, who had been focused on the woman looked up, growing impossibly still as he made eye contact. She didn’t move, unable to create one coherent thought and as the shaking began once more she didn’t notice.  
The woman noticed her gaze and looked behind her, eyes falling on Shou before immediately snapping back to stare at Ira with wide eyes.  
“Ira?” The ghost said, somehow looking pale without blood to leave his face, “You can see me? Hear me?”

She managed a shaky nod before the elements, strengthens by the shattering of her mind, finally got to her and she fell to the ground, the world falling apart around her.


	2. Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica's perspective

Veronica rushed forward, catching the shoulders of the redheaded woman before she could hit the ground. The moment her fingers made contact with her body she became aware of a low buzz that covered the woman like a thin blanket. ‘Illusionary magic’ she noted at the back of her mind, but the reason or purpose for it was the least of her worries for the moment. Out of the corner of her eye, the small white flashes were growing closer and when she turned to face her brother he looked worried.

“You called her Ira do you know her?” She snapped angrily as she struggled to lift the woman into her arms noting with concern at how stiff and weak her body felt. She shouldn’t be so cold, the weather wasn’t that bad, not yet. Something was wrong and yet when she stretched out her magic to heal it she could find no damage of any kind. She glanced back to the house, it was about 10m and would be a second long walk if not for the heavy person she was struggling to hold above her waist. She would not be able to run there in time if they were attacked. She glanced down at the sleeping stranger, Considering whether it would just be best to leave her there— but no, Shou seemed to know her and seemed to care enough to be concerned by her less-than-healthy state. Leaving the stranger to freeze to death was unappealing and unlikely. She was a witch, the spirits would be all too eager to possess her and the last thing Veronica needed to deal with was a new magical force amplified by the spirit’s energy. 

Shou looked nervous, his eyes flicking to the ghostly figures that were beginning to fill the area.  
“I don’t think now is the time to— there’s a lot of them we need to get you indoors, you’re going to get hurt.” He moved closer to help, one hand reaching to grab Ira’s arm but it passed through it as if there was nothing there to provide any resistance. He frowned turning away and flinched as he noticed one of the spirits had appeared barely a foot behind him its face distorted into a twisted abomination indescribable by any human language. A low whispering was in the air and was getting louder with every passing second. He dropped to the ground hand outstretched, and began to carve into the snow runes he hoped would provide some sort of protection but it was too late. It was too close and he was too weak to do anything.

The spirit smiled and the air began to shake.  
“Veronica run, leave her! go! I’ll help her she’ll be-“ He called desperately, stretching his arms desperately as though it would provide some sort of resistance. The spirit simply moved through him.   
“I am not leaving her to get possessed.” She growled, dropping the woman to the ground. Pushing back her sleeves she slammed her hands down either side of her body and into the snow. Burning blue energy domed around them, flickering as one of the spirits threw itself against the barrier. The thin wall pulsed with each attack and she winced at the mental strain. Pulling out a small pocket knife, she opened the woman’s coat and pulled down her shirt. Swiftly and without hesitation she began to carve an intricate rune into her skin, blood blossoming in its wake. 

Something slammed into the barrier and she let out a gasp, clutching her forehead as lightning bolts of pain burst free. The knife fell to the ground and with a horrible shriek, the barrier collapsed. Glancing up a spirit loomed over her and she grabbed at the knife only to watch in horror as it was kicked away. Dimly she was aware of Shou shouting but as she stared into the mess of a face she could not find an understanding of his words. The thing rose above her and—

A lone woman sat upon a beach. The sky was a rich and glowing blue and yet she was alone. The air was still and the birds were gone. Chained to her ankle was a thick, round, heavy ball of metal. She was trapped, and as she watched the waves receding and the horizon growing dark she wondered if this was how it felt for her brothers; To stare natures greatest weapon in the eye and be unable to move, unable to run, unable to protect yourself and to know this will be the end. As the wave grew closer she gazed at the figure lying in the impenetrable glass box next to her and knew she had made the right decision. Then it hit with a force so strong she felt her body shatter and her mind drown under cold and burning water as she was dragged deeper into the abyss where she could never fathom escape. 

There was darkness. 

Endless darkness.

She felt a piece of herself fall away and as she reached to grab the pale, blue glow, a knife of ice and water and stream tore through the side of her face and the darkness lit up in such illuminated light that her eyes screamed for blindness.

And then-

The water was gone and she lay in the snow, a black line imprinted vertically on her left cheek. The white was gone with her life, falling back into the shadows of the surrounding forest to lurk and search for escape. It was silent as she gazed at the snow falling from a grey sky above. Blue light flickered around her and she became aware of something lifting her and carrying her towards the house. Slowly, like the first drop of a melting icicle, sound began to seep back into her ears. Yaius was shouting and Shou sounded on the verge of tears. Quinn’s transparent face came into view and she starred at the grave expression on his face as she was carried onto the porch and into safety. 

Gently he placed her down and crouched in front of her, reaching one hand to push a stray hair away from her face.  
“Can you hear me?”  
She nodded.  
He let out a sigh of relief, and the grave expression melted away to barely contained misery.   
“How many-“  
“You only lost one.” He confirmed, hovering next to her in a seated position, “but it was close. You are very lucky.”   
She didn’t respond, instead focusing on assessing the state of her own body. There was no lasting physical damage but she could feel there had been. It had been healed, Quinn, and residue magic still hovered there. Yaius was still yelling and with a start, she remembered the stranger.

Bolting to her feet she staggered as blood rushed to her face and Quinn quickly grabbed her shoulder and stabilised her.   
“You shouldn’t-“  
Whatever he was going to say was lost to the wind and she jumped down the stairs and ran to where the stranger had been laying. Yaius was sat next to her and was focused on healing the wound she had caused. Veronica skidded to a halt.  
“Is she alive?”  
“What does it fucking look like?!” Yaius snapped, his gaze rising from the unconscious woman to meet her own. She blinked in surprise at his anger. Genuine concern radiated off him and yet it wasn’t to one of them but a stranger? Since when had the sociopath cared about anyone else? She glanced at Shou who immediately looked away, hands fidgeting.  
“Instead of taking her inside like a normal person, you carved a fucking sigil into her chest?!” He continued with a snarl, eyes immediately falling in concern as the woman moved in her sleep.  
“I saved her damn life!” Veronica snapped, taking a step towards him, patience gone, and frowning as he bent over her defensively.   
“You want her moved inside? Then let me pick her up.”  
“I’ll do it myself.” He growled, moving from his position at her head to her side, and in stunned silence, Veronica watched as the ghost of her brother lifted the living woman as though they inhabited the same plane of existence. Pointedly ignoring her, he ascended the stairs and passed through the open door and into the house. 

Still staring she turned to look at Quinn spotting a similar look of confusion on his face.   
“Veronica are you-“ Shou began, reaching out an arm to touch her shoulder but she grabbed his wrist, face turning serious.  
“Who is that woman?”  
He looked away, uncomfortable,  
“Shou Casey I swear to-“  
“Her name is Ira Volkova.”  
“And?”  
“We grew up near her, she and Yaius were- are- good friends. Really good friends. I’d say borderline obsessed. They kept in contact when we moved and then met up again when she came to live here.”  
Her forehead creased,  
“Why does he care so much?”  
“I don’t know but I know he wanted to—“ Shou covered his mouth before he could continue and she eyed him with cold suspicion.

“Veronica. Go inside, there’s no point lingering, it’s almost nightfall.” Quinn’s voice prevented her from continuing and with a final scowl in Shou’s direction and a promise that the conversation wasn’t over she trekked back through the snow and into the house, locking the door behind her. 

——

The inside of the house was furnished entirely of pinewood and stone. To the left of the entrance was a coffee table and two light grey armchairs each covered by a black knitted blanket with the family emblem. Behind that stood a cabinet that had once held the family’s fine China but now was filled to the brim with books and tomes of every shape, size and colour. It was the accumulation of their research over the past 16 years and although it may seem impressive to a newcomer, it had thus far proved useless. To the left of it was the stairs and under them was a door that led to the storage room. Continuing forward took her into the kitchen where there was a dining room table currently covered in papers and open books. Several pens had been scattered and rough diagrams lay there haphazardly. They were of new runes and protective sigils they hoped would be able to provide an extra layer of protection when she went outside. As with the books, they had so far proved useless. There didn’t seem to be a way to protect anyone of the Casey bloodline from the assault of the creatures that loomed outside. That should’ve been obvious, they hadn’t been given the lives for no reason, but she had hoped, hoped that with so much research and effort gone into it they just might have been able to find something. They had died trying, numerous times, 19 times if you included all of them. It was a frustration that haunted her every waking moment. 

Yaius was not here and when she glanced into the extension of the house that stood to the right he was not there either.  
“I saw him move upstairs,” Quinn said from behind her, drifting through the wall join her inside. Moments later Shou followed suit still looking uncomfortable and nervous as if he had said something he shouldn’t have.  
“He carried her upstairs?” she asked sceptically but with him nowhere to be seen that was the only option, as an illogical as it appeared to be.  
“Ask questions later, check her first,” Quinn advised expression falling serious. She watched him drift up through the ceiling and with a final glance at the table she moved to the stairs and ascended onto the first floor. 

Here lay the two bedrooms. They weren’t poor but her parents hadn’t seen the point in letting them each have their own room. The house was built with two rooms and they had been forced to share up until the two had finally died. Then she and Quinn, as the eldest, had the room to the left, and the two younger siblings, the ones with the accents she hadn't quite gotten used to at the time, had moved into the one on the right. 

The door to Yaius and Shou’s room was open and she walked through finding Quinn staring at the still asleep body of Ira Volkova. Yaius was hovering next to her, one hand phased through her shoulder as if he hoped she would be an anchor to prevent him from floating away. At her arrival, his attention moved away from Ira’s sleeping face and he turned to stare at her, mouth pulled into an ugly grimace.  
“Move,” she commanded before he could speak and she walked closer pushing him away and crouching to get a better look at Ira. The wound had been successfully healed— except it hadn’t scarred. She took a deep breath, suppressing the rising frustration.   
“You should have let it scar.” She said coldly as she rested her hand on Ira’s wrist, closing her eyes as she searched for any remaining injuries. There was nothing but the same odd sensation of something being wrong without any evidence to suggest that it was. Odd. Very odd. She didn’t like it.  
“Now I’m going to have to re-do it-“  
“No!”   
She closed her eyes at his angry shout, taking a deep breath again to try and prevent the last shred of patience from melting away. It was not worth the fallout, she knew that but oh she didn’t know how much longer she could take his insubordination.  
“Last I checked, Yaius, I am the only one here with a pulse.” She said coldly, turning to face him, expression stony,   
“Which means I make the decision around here and I am not going to endanger my own life because someone you know has shown up. Am I understood?”  
Yaius drifted closer, stopping inches away from her face,  
“Do not touch her.” He snarled, teeth bared and hands clenching at his side, “Or the whites won’t be the only thing you need to fear—”   
“That’s enough!” Quinn finally snapped and in a flash he had moved forward and grabbed Yaius, yanking him back and away from Veronica who’s face had fallen from annoyed to horrified.

“Do not *ever* threaten your elder sister again! I will not tolerate murderers in this house! Enough is going on without infighting. You can either calm down or I will adjust the runes and prevent you from entering this property.”  
“No murderers? It’s a bit fucking late for that don’t you think?” He sneered, struggling against Quinn’s hold, trying to break free unsuccessfully,  
“That's beside the point. Your pedantry is not necessary just because you want to throw a tantrum.”

“Is Ira alright?” Shou finally made his appearance, drifting sheepishly through the door. He hesitated at the deadly expression on Yaius’ face and the annoyance radiating off Quinn.   
“Maybe now but she wants to tear her chest—“  
“Stop overreacting! It’s a protection rune, not a double mastectomy!”  
“Obviously not! She’s already had one you insensitive—“  
“Stop fighting for God’s sake!” Quinn snapped, covering Yaius’ mouth with one hand, ignoring the teeth that tried and failed to cut through his skin.  
“Shou, would you like to explain why he’s suddenly gone feral? More so than usual?” Veronica asked, voice steady despite the wary gaze she’d turned on Yaius. 

Shou looked uncomfortable and he glanced at Yaius, noting the angry expression on his face and the unspoken threat of violence should he speak. Yet looking back at Veronica it was clear something he had said, something he hadn’t been able to hear, had affected her. Her face had turned a nasty shade of grey and her eyes were wider than usual. Like the bedpost she stood stiff and unmoving, shoulders tense. She looked almost... fearful? He had to be mistaken, he’d never seen her look scared before and certainly not of Yaius. There was no need for her to fear him, they were family after all and they’d always got along no matter what had happened. Whatever he said, he was probably joking and she just didn’t— but why would a joke leave her feeling scared? or wary? Or nervous? He glanced back at her face. She seemed strained, more stressed than usual and he didn’t know what to make of it.  
“Well?” Quinn echoed her, “You clearly know something, speak now so we can get this over with and move on. We’ve got bigger things to worry about such as how we’re going to get past this. So-“  
“She’s his fiancée.”

Both Quinn and Veronica froze in place.  
“I’m going to *fucking* kill you!” Yaius shouted, thrashing against Quinn with an animalistic rage.  
“Fiancée?” Veronica cast her eyes down onto the sleeping woman. This was her— was meant to be her— sister-in-law? She had a sister-in-law? Yaius had a partner? Yaius... loved someone? Enough to want to marry them? Deaf to his outraged shrieks and Shou and Quinn’s attempts to calm him down, she sat down in front of the bed, eyebrows furrowed. This was a family member, one she hadn’t known existed. One who would have married into the family before they’d even had the chance to meet. Why had... why had he never brought her up? Why hide her? She had thought she knew her youngest brother, thought that they held a close, special bond, united by their indifference towards the world. She had been wrong. Apparently, he cared more about this stranger than her to the extent he’d kill his own sister for her. It... it felt... she didn’t know how it felt. It was as if her mind had become submerged in a bucket of ice water, becoming number and number with every passing second as she sunk deeper into its depths. She felt nothing, an artificial indifference sweeping over her. The pain was there, buried deep under the many layers of her core, it just hadn’t breached the surface yet. 

Reaching out, she brushed a strand of hair away from Ira’s ear and leant forward.  
“I know you’re awake.” She whispered, “But I don’t blame you for not wanting to get involved.” She glanced behind her at her still fighting brothers before turning back,   
“Keep faking if you want but I’m going now. You can sort this out yourself. Good luck.”

Standing silently, she walked away from the bed and towards the door. Coming across Shou, who was currently protesting that the truth would have come out regardless, she didn’t bother to move around him, instead passing straight through him. The three immediately stopped fighting, staring in surprise as she halted at the doorway.  
“I’m going to bed. Don’t disturb me unless something severe happens.” She took a step forward then paused. “Oh and Yaius? Don’t come anywhere near me.”  
With that she passed through the narrow landing and into the second room, shutting and locking the door behind her before falling onto the bed and closing her eyes.

She was tired. So very tired. Fatigued at this point. Rolling over, she pulled the duvet out from underneath her so could crawl under it, covering herself so just her head stuck out. Even through the wall, she could hear their argument, quieter now but just as ferocious. A muffled shout, from who she could only assume was Quinn, shut them up and she closed her eyes to the following silence. Peace at last— a flash of darkness and endless depth bolted across her mind and her breath caught in her throat. It had been quiet when she had died. They had never spoken about what it felt like before, there had never been a need nor had they wanted to discuss the possibility. Pondering how one would die was far from an enjoyable conversation and yet... she wished they would have mentioned the silence. 

It was another tragedy to add to an already awful week. First, the electricity had cut out, then the tunnel had caved in, then a stranger had shown up, then she had died and then, to top it all off, Yaius had threatened to kill her for suggesting a protective scar. The fire in his eyes and the poison of his voice let her know he wasn’t joking. He was dead serious and she didn’t know how to feel about it. Wary, at least, and the thought brought forth the first drop of pain buried within her. Afraid of her own brother, her sweet but misguided brother who had never been anything but loyal and caring to her. What had become of her that she feared her own— she covered her mouth, blinking her eyes shut. It shouldn’t have affected her, she knew it shouldn’t have and yet... she couldn’t help the feeling of helplessness and misery it brought forth. How she longed for the peace and love their family had once had before they’d died one by and one and left her, against all the odds, as the sole survivor. They were around but they were dead. It wasn’t the same. Four beds, four plates, four sets of clothes, four sets of footsteps in the snow, all had been reduced to one. It was never meant to be her and yet... and yet there she was, the last remaining Casey who would surely die like the rest, never to fulfil their role. She was the second oldest and she had already failed them. She had failed Quinn, the unluckiest of them all, condemned at 15 and dead by 24; Shou, the sickly child whose illness had returned no matter what they tried and even with the lives given to him too soon he had been lost within two years; and Yaius, executed for a murder he refused to provide a reason for. They were falling apart and the arrival of his ‘fiancée’ was the bow on the bomb that would destroy them. What was she supposed to do? 

Sudden warmth at her side snapped her out of her musing. Opening her eyes, Quinn had appeared next to her, sitting on the edge of the bed and gazing at her with tired concern.  
“He’s not going to attack you.” He began before she could speak, “The threat was genuine but he’s preoccupied with Miss Volkova for now. Either way, I won’t let him come close if his intentions are dangerous.”  
“Is that supposed to comfort me?” She murmured, laying one arm over her eyes.  
“No, I’m giving you the facts. He won’t hurt you, Veronica, he got lost in the heat of the moment and let his rage consume him. He cares about you, that’s not disappeared just because someone else showed up.”  
She didn’t respond, eyes closed and mind elsewhere. A burning hand fell on her shoulder and she moved her arm, staring up at him. His eyes brows were pulled taught and an expression of deep concern radiated off his face.   
“I know how much it hurts,” she closed her eyes, turning away, “Time will numb the memories but it won’t get better. It’ll only get worse.”  
“I’m tired, Quinn. I’m tired of this.”  
“I know, I know Vee.” The grip on her shoulder tightened slightly, “But you’ll get through this. Now isn’t the time to give up.”  
“As if you’d let me.” She murmured under her breath, “You hover around me like you’re... you’re... fuck, there’s no other word. Like you’re... haunting me. Comparison unintended”.  
“You know why I do.” Was all he said.  
She gazed up at him, exhaustion visible on her face.  
“It won’t happen again. You can use your time better.”  
He scoffed, leaning forward to brush stray hairs off her face, “Looking after my dear Sister is a better use of my time than reading through books I’ve read one thousand times before.” The flat expression on her face showed exactly how much she appreciated those words.

He looked away, shaking his head.  
“Are you really going to sleep or were you looking for an escape?”  
“What time is it?”  
He glanced at the clock on the wall, “Quarter to nine.”  
She sighed, sinking deeper into the covers. “Then yes. I’ll deal with this in the morning. I need to clear my head.”  
“Understandable.” He drifted off the bed, doing a very convincing impression of someone standing that would have fooled her if not for his arm phasing through the duvet— That and the illuminant, almost white, glow that radiated off him and lit up the room as though it were mid-morning.   
“I’ll check on Yaius and Miss Volkova, do you need anything?”  
“If you have enough stamina can you grab the quilt off the floor?”  
He raised an eyebrow, “It’s right next to you.”  
She met his gaze, unwavering.   
“And?”  
“Get it yourself.”  
“I died today. Cut me some slack.”  
He tsked, then bent down, hand phasing through the quilt for a moment before solidifying into a white solid. Swiftly he yanked it off the floor and tossed it onto the bed, the corner landing on her face.  
“There. Happy?”  
“Close enough.”   
Shaking his head, he drifted to the door, halting at the entrance and glancing back at her.  
“Call if you need anything.”   
With a final, long stare, he vanished through the doorway, the door shutting itself behind him. 

With his departure, the room fell into silence. She took a breath, wincing at the volume and she found herself gazing at the window. The curtains had been left open. Brilliant. For a moment she considered calling Quinn back before deciding against it, she could do it herself. Focusing on the long fabric, she watched it draw together in her mind’s eye and a moment later the window was obscured from view. Immediately the room was cast into the darkness and she felt her breath catch in her throat. It was endless and suffocating, and for the first time, she could remember she did not like it. Closing her eyes, a shaking began to take over her body and as her consciousness drifted away from her, a prayer for morning fell on her lips.


End file.
